Cape Meares Lighthouse
Tillamook, OR
The shortest lighthouse on the Oregon coast, on a headland with seabird colonies and the many-trunked Octopus Tree. It is on the Three Capes Scenic Route west of Tillamook; parking is free.
Cape Meares Lighthouse is a small lighthouse on the Oregon coast, on a headland near Tillamook along the Three Capes Scenic Route. At 38 feet (about 11.5 meters) it is the shortest lighthouse in Oregon, and it was first lit on January 1, 1890. A paved path of about 320 meters (0.2 mile) leads from the parking lot to the tower.
The grounds also hold the Octopus Tree, a Sitka spruce with thick, wide-spreading, candelabra-like limbs, reached by a path of about 160 meters (0.1 mile). Another trail runs about 1.3 kilometers (0.8 mile) through old-growth spruce forest in the wildlife refuge, with a spur to the largest Sitka spruce in Oregon. From the cliffs you can watch migrating gray whales as well as sea lions, dolphins and porpoises, and seabirds nest here from April to July.
You can go inside the tower only in the summer half of the year, from Memorial Day to September 30; tower tours are limited to five people and cannot be reserved. Since October the tower has been closed until the next season (as of October 2026), while the grounds stay open. You need a day-use parking permit, which you can buy on site.
- Nearest town
- Tillamook, OR
- Category
- Scenic viewpoints
- GPS
- 45.4865, -123.9784
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and July–August. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
Sources
Featured in these trip guides
Nearby
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Campsites nearby
- Tillamook Bay City RV ParkMotorhome stopover5 mi from Cape Meares LighthouseMotorhomesElectricityWaste disposalDogs allowedWi-Fi
- Kilchis River County CampgroundCampsite10 mi from Cape Meares LighthouseTentsCaravansDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowed
- Whalen Island County CampgroundCampsite15 mi from Cape Meares LighthouseTentsCaravansDrinking waterToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowed
- Trask River County CampgroundCampsite18 mi from Cape Meares LighthouseTentsCaravansDrinking waterToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowed
- Webb County CampgroundCampsite19 mi from Cape Meares LighthouseTentsCaravansElectricityDrinking waterShowersToiletsWaste disposalDogs allowed
- Woods County CampgroundCampsite19 mi from Cape Meares LighthouseTentsCaravansDrinking waterToiletsDogs allowed
All campsites in Oregon · Campsite data: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL 1.0 · Updated October 3, 2026
FAQs
Where is Cape Meares Lighthouse?
Cape Meares Lighthouse is in Tillamook, OR, at GPS 45.4865, -123.9784. It is about 28 mi from Cannon Beach.
Can you camp near Cape Meares Lighthouse?
Yes. The nearest campsite listed in OpenStreetMap is Netarts Bay Garden RV Park, about 5 mi away; within 25 mi there are 46 campsites and motorhome stopovers.
Which road trips pass Cape Meares Lighthouse?
Cape Meares Lighthouse is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Oregon’s capes: Three Capes Route to Cape Perpetua.
What is there to see near Cape Meares Lighthouse?
Places worth a stop nearby: Cape Lookout Trail (10 mi), Cape Kiwanda (18 mi), Haystack Rock (27 mi) and Dundee Hills (48 mi).
When is the best time to visit Cape Meares Lighthouse?
The most pleasant months are usually May–June and September–October. Still fine, with some compromises, in April and July–August. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)